


Vulnerability is a Fickle Thing

by LightPinkTheColorOfMyAura



Series: Captive Paladins [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Canon compliant (up to season 4), Canon-Typical Violence, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gen, Pidge/Katie-Centric, Post-Season 4, Trans Female Pidge | Katie Holt, captive au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-03-16 11:42:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13635588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightPinkTheColorOfMyAura/pseuds/LightPinkTheColorOfMyAura
Summary: Pidge is captured by a Galran Officer hiding behind a mask. How will the team handle their youngest member being snatched away from their ranks, especially while on the brink of a diplomatic break-through with the denounced Galran Prince?Katie, while away, has to come to terms with being disconnected from both her friends and the mainframe. She's never been great at dealing with people, so how does she expect to escape from the ones who kidnapped her?***This work has been discontinued, I just don't have the same love for Voltron I used to and I tried to wait it out to see if I could get over it and complete this story but after all the stuff going on with how the creators handled different issues I just can't do canon-compliant things right now. I'm considering writing something that is canon-divergent, but for the captive paladins everything was intended to reasonably fit within canon.*** I might come back to it if I ever feel motivated to finish it, but don't be too expectant.





	1. The Child Paladin

**Author's Note:**

> This is NOT in the same universe as A;NH. There will probably be some references to it, because I'm a huge nerd who can't help but reference it just because I can, but those won't be anything beyond a nod to the other fic. You definitely DON'T have to read Abandoned; Not Helpless to understand this story. In fact, A;NH was really angsty and this one will not be dealing with as dark material as that fic did.
> 
> Time measurements are the same as in A;NH though!  
> Period=Year (440 days, 11 months, 44 weeks)  
> Cycles=Month (40 days, 4 weeks)  
> Turns=Week (10 days)  
> Quintent=Day

“Pidge?” Hunk called out, cautiously. “Pidge, buddy, blowing your cover now might be a bit helpful.” He didn’t want to give away her location, but the recon mission was starting to go downhill. Their distraction hadn’t lasted even half as long as expected, and he  _ knew _ his friend wouldn’t have finished the data extraction yet.

The lack of a response concerned the Yellow Paladin. He hoped she wasn’t ignoring him. Quickly, and as quietly as he could, Hunk scoured the control room and the nearby storage rooms.

“ _ Guys.”  _ His radio crackled as he commed the others, “ _ There’s no sign of Pidge, I really need backup. _ ” He switched the radio to the emergency station to see if she had resorted to that.

The static buzz of his sole signal dashed any hope of her presence. He could feel himself starting to panic. He changed it back to the main station and hoped for word from her or the team.

“Okay,” He muttered, hands gesturing as he spoke to himself, “if I were a small girl where would I go?” The panic in his voice rose, as well as the speed of his hand movements, “I don’t even know if I can fit where Pidge would go, what if she’s in the air vents or on the other side of the ship or what if she’s alread-”

“ _ Hunk we found her signal! _ ” Shiro replied, his voice cutting Hunk out of his frantic ramble. “ _ Follow the main hall and hang a right, we’ll meet you there.” _

He heaved a sigh of relief at the team leader’s news and followed his directions to Pidge’s signal. 

* * *

Shiro, Allura, and Lance rushed to the location they pinged for their friend. Each had their own thoughts wildly racing in their minds, and each had their own set of concerns for Pidge.

The Black Paladin couldn’t help but fear that a technical glitch had prevented Katie from contacting them. He knew her well from the time they’d spent as a team and knew that she wouldn’t go so long without keeping them in the loop. For her to remain unresponsive could only mean one thing: She had been disconnected.

Contrarily, Allura was terrified at the thought of an injured girl. The Blue Paladin was no fool, and she realized that her teammate was small and physically weaker than the rest of the team. Although the young girl made up for her deficit in speed and agility, the fact remained that Pidge was a child thrown into a war. The Princess pushed her teammates to run faster.

Most concerned of all, though not by much, Lance scanned the halls they passed for his small friend’s figure. He had a bad feeling, something akin to deja vu. He couldn’t place the feeling of dread seeping into his gut as they neared the location. The Red Paladin simply couldn’t have articulated what his intuition was telling him, or how it all came crashing down as they reached Hunk. 

* * *

Dark red painted the side of bright green in an unnatural clash of color. Black gloves gripped the helmet desperately, the three unable to register them as Hunk’s until the blood on the helmet dripped down. Their attention snapped to their teammate, his tears keeping him from speaking his thoughts. As his tears fell on the helmet and washed more of the blood away, Shiro could see smeared blood on the inside of the helmet as well.

“Where-”

A large screen behind them sprang to life, cutting off the question while simultaneously answering it. Pidge laid cuffed next to a Galran officer, their identity hidden by their helmet. The young Paladin was unconscious, with no visible injuries save for the gash on her head--the source of the blood inside the helmet.

“ _ Pidge! _ ” Hunk cried, nearly dropping her helmet. Lance lurched towards him, to help steady his friend. He knew that the Yellow Paladin was unstable right now, like the rest of them, but that he could at least  _ help _ Hunk.

“Is that this one’s name?” The soldier asked, “It’s quite a spirited one. Took out one of the guards I sent to retrieve it.” The even, nonchalant tone rubbed the team the wrong way. They had just gotten used to the team the way it was, and settled into a good balance of respect for one another. The last thing they needed was someon-

“Don’t  _ fucking _ call her an  _ it _ you sick son of a bitch.” Lance snarled, holding Hunk’s hand for dear life. He could feel himself shaking, and the tension from his other friends. Allura and Shiro were the picture of calm, but Hunk and Lance could  _ feel _ the anger radiating from them. Pidge was  _ theirs _ , and she was a  _ child _ . Any of them would have traded places with her in a heartbeat.

“And what would you have me call it? Not entirely sure what this falls under, young Paladin.” The soldier replied, taunting the Red Paladin further. Lance realized he was being baited, but stopping was too difficult. 

“She’s a  _ kid _ you prick, how low are you to kidnap a  _ child _ ?” Hunk wrapped an arm around his friend’s waist and held him back with ease. There was nothing for Lance to actually go  _ after _ , given that the conversation was through a screen, but the restraint made both of them feel better.

Pidge stirred on the ground. She moved to sit up, but her arms caught behind her back from within the cuffs and she fell back to the ground. Immediately more alert, she sat up more carefully and faced her team’s image. The blood smeared down her face worried the other Paladins, and Hunk winced at the sight of her broken glasses. They wouldn’t be easy to fix, and he knew that they held significant sentimental value for her. 

“Guys wh-” The Galran soldier pressed the butt of their hand into her forehead and shoved her back down. Then they turned to face the team again.

“I will trade a Lion for a Paladin. Nothing more, nothing less. Otherwise, you will trade your uncooperativeness for her death.” Pidge reeled back up, angry and shocked from the blow and from the sudden awareness of her situation.

“Don’t do it!” She screamed, earning another shove. This time it was more forceful, and closer to an open-handed strike than a push. Lance watched painfully as she swayed, clearly unbalanced from her injuries.

“Pidge, we’re going to get you out of there.” He said, his voice utterly level. The Galran soldier scoffed and the Blue Paladin raised his voice, compelled to repeat himself for her sake. “ _ Katie Holt _ ,” He cried, “You’re going to get out of there no matter  _ what _ .” 

* * *

The Green Paladin was immediately stripped of her belongings and given a prisoner’s uniform. She recognized it the moment she saw the purple top. It was the same that Shiro had escaped in, and something that she had never imagined she would be forced to don.

They refused to treat her injuries, despite the risks that came with an unchecked head injury. She knew exactly where she stood: at the  _ bottom _ .

In some part of her mind, she wondered if she could gain the trust of anyone. If she could find an ally to help her escape from within. The thought was almost comical. She wasn’t good with people, that was  _ Lance _ . If anyone would have been able to manipulate their way to freedom, it would be her friend, not her. She would have to think her way out, somehow find a way into the system. 

Katie sat in a cold cell, wondering just how she ended up where she was. Logically, she knew. She had been struck, subdued, and captured. As small as she was, it couldn’t have been difficult. She had been in too much of a daze during her processing in the Galran prison to even notice what she was being made to do.

Decontaminated, changed, belongings stolen and crushed before her eyes. All of her tech, every mechanical thing on her person,  _ gone _ . The Green Paladin felt the most helpless she had since the day she found Matt’s grave.

_ Matt _ . Tears pricked at her eyes. The two of them had just been reunited. She had  _ finally _ found her brother, and now she was torn away from him once again. Even in her frustration, she could recognize the irony that they had been split twice because of the Galra. 

* * *

Lance’s eyes were clamped shut as he fought back tears. It was unfair of him to cry while he delivered this news. He took a deep breath, forcing the shakiness of his chest away, and opened Matt’s door.

The rebel officer perked his head up at the noise and smiled brightly at Lance. “Yo, man! What’s happening? How’d the mission go?” The happy grin faltered as he took in the Red Paladin’s grim expression. He had been laying on his bed, reading a book, but scrambled to his feet to get a better standing with Lance. “Hey are you okay? Did someone get hurt?”

Lance winced, and rested his hand on Matt’s shoulder. The words forming in his throat burned like fire and he said them as calmly as he could, “Katie was captured.” 

The Red Paladin watched as his friend paled, his eyes swirling in emotion. Disbelief, worry, anger, Lance hoped he could be there for Matt like the rebel officer needed.

“Where is she?” He spat out, forcing a response even though it was obvious he didn’t know how to act. “How did she get caught, why didn’t you  _ do anything _ ?” He directed his hurt towards Lance, a reaction the Red Paladin had expected. Even as Matt tugged away from his hand slightly, Lance held fast.

The grip tightened a bit on Matt’s shoulder and Lance replied, “She was hurt, we didn’t get to her in time. Katie is still alive, but they’re on the run.” His hard expression softened, “I know you’re upset, and angry, but we have to keep it together enough to organize a rescue.” 

Matt jerked away from Lance, who released his grip, and stalked past him. He purposely bumped shoulders with him as he passed, and shot a dirty look at the young man. “You’re asking me to  _ keep it together _ while my little sister is at the mercy of the Galra? She’s a  _ Paladin of Voltron _ , do you fucking think she’s being treated well?”

The door shut behind Matt as he left, leaving Lance with an overwhelming feeling of guilt and frustration. He waited a few moments, to give Matt his space, and then left to find the rest of the team.

* * *

Hunk was in the kitchen, baking some treats just as Lance had hoped he was. The Yellow Paladin greeted him as he walked in, and he gave him a worn smile in return.

“Stress baking?” He offered. Hunk nodded, a frown on his face from the reminder of why he was in the kitchen. Although he loved cooking, it wasn’t a great distraction when someone reminded you of  _ why _ you were distracting yourself.

“We know what ship she’s on, so there’s not much I can do, you know? I just feel so useless and this keeps me busy.” Hunk explained. Lance’s eyebrows knitted together, and he felt horrible for his friend.

“No, Hunk, no.” He replied, “You being you is plenty enough. We’re all worried about Pidge and just you being a constant and being here with everyone is helping.” Hunk gave him a skeptical look and he added, “I swear, just talking to you is making  _ me _ feel better.”

Lance hoped that the gnawing feeling in his gut would go away, and that Hunk wouldn’t notice his half-truth. No, his friend wasn’t making him feel better, but he didn’t need to know that. The Yellow Paladin sighed, in relief and exhaustion, and Lance felt himself grow a bit lighter as well.

“Thanks, Lance. I needed to hear that.” He looked around at the kitchen, where a few finished batches of pastries were done, but otherwise it was still pretty clean. He nodded to himself and faced Lance again, “I think I’m going to go shower and maybe take a nap. I never rested after the mission.”

“You do that man, you look tired.” Lance patted him on the back and looked to the pastries, considering what to do with them. Hunk left for his room, but halted in the doorway.

“Lance,” He called out. The Red Paladin looked up. “Make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too. I know how you get when you’re stressed.” Lance scoffed, opening his mouth to dispute Hunk’s words, but Hunk interrupted him, “I’m serious. I’ll be watching you, bro.”

With a gesture of pointing at his eyes and then towards Lance, Hunk finally left to go to his room. Lance’s shoulders relaxed, a little bit more at ease to once again be alone. He looked to the pastries and decided to continue checking in on the others.

* * *

Allura and Coran were more than happy to receive Hunk’s pastries. They were dealing with Pidge’s capture the best that Lance had seen. Although they were concerned, the Alteans knew that their Green Paladin was capable of staying strong until her rescue. In the meantime, they had been tracking the ship’s frequency and started attempting to reach out to the Blade. 

With Keith’s membership, the alliance between the Blade and Voltron had been properly solidified. It made communications a priority when dealing with them, but the Blade of Marmora was still a secretive organization and they still had scarce communications to avoid being detected.

“Do you think they’ll answer soon?” Lance asked. He had only been in contact with them three or four times since Keith had joined, each time to speak to the former Red Paladin himself. He missed him. 

Allura pursed her lips, “I wish I could say yes, but the last contact request we made took nearly a turn to be answered. I hope they do respond quickly, their help in Pidge’s rescue would make it much easier.”

* * *

Shiro tried talking to Matt. He knew him the best out of the rest of the team, but ultimately he had only been a classmate to the other man before they were captured. Rather, he had been an  _ upper _ classman. Matt Holt had been allowed to go on the Kerberos mission for two reasons. He had been the brightest student the Garrison had admitted since its inception, and his father was the lead of the mission. Shiro, on the other hand, was the most well-rounded instructional-class student there. 

He had graduated the Garrison and opted to stay for three more years to earn his teaching license. He wanted to be a teacher there, to help guide the students towards their dreams, and he had been ecstatic at the idea of year and a half long trip to Kerberos. He wanted to be a part of  _ history. _

As he followed Matt around the castle, attempting to get him to speak to him, Shiro considered how he never intended to go down in history as a man abducted by aliens and forced to fight in an intergalactic war. 

“Matt for  _ fuck’s _ sake grow up and speak to me like an  _ adult _ .” The Black Paladin snapped, his patience finally at its end. The order reverberated through the hall, a long one in the lower portion of the castle, as he stood facing a now-frozen rebel. 

Slowly, the eldest Holt sibling turned to face him. “An adult?” He said, his voice quiet but gaining in volume, “A  _ fucking adult? _ ” He repeated, “A fucking adult would have kept my  _ sixteen year old sister _ from getting kidnapped by  _ the enemy _ .” He marched up to Shiro, a few inches in height difference meaning nothing to the intimidation of an angry sibling, “ _ You _ -” He jabbed a finger into Shiro’s chest, “-were  _ there _ and  _ you _ were responsible for the safety of of your team. If you can’t keep someone on your team safe, who are you to call yourself  _ a leader _ ?”

Lance’s back pressed against the wall on the opposite side of a nearby door. He was positive he wasn’t meant to hear all of that, but he knew that he needed to help reign in the team for a meeting. Lotor would be coming for another diplomatic talk soon, and the Red Paladin knew that the team could  _ not _ be this divided in the face of the fallen Galran Prince.


	2. Arrivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word from the Blade, Lotor, and seeing what's happening with Pidge!

Still with broken glasses, Pidge found herself shoved into the inner workings of the ship she was transferred to. Her small, cold cell turned out to be a temporary place for her until they reached the _actual_ prison, the likes of which she had only ever seen on the rescuing end of a mission. In all honesty, the large halls and low lighting of the Galran ship intimidated the young Paladin.

She was escorted to her new cell, still cold and dark, and was surprised to see it a bit larger than the first. A relatively stationary prison ship could afford to have more space, she supposed. Still, as she glanced around the empty room, she couldn’t help but wish they had incarcerated her _with_ someone. If only for the opportunity to interact with new species.

It didn’t take long for her to get used to her new room. There was a bed for her to use, albeit a hard and uncomfortable one, as well as an area for relief and a water spigot. She even found a camera, and made a mental note to see what she could do with it once the prison started its night cycle.

In her adjustment, Pidge didn’t realize that it also didn’t take long for the prison to sort out her information, making her eligible to be put to work. They didn’t seem to consider her size or strength at all, beyond making sure she was given weights of materials that she could lift.

As she filed in line with the other prisoners, she found herself becoming more and more disgusted at the work they were expected to do. She and several other small aliens were lifting raw material from one place to another, while others were cleaning and doing repairs. The Green Paladin’s face scrunched up at their treatment of the people here. They were being exploited for labor.

* * *

Prince Lotor waved a hand at the soldier trying to buzz in his ear about something unimportant. He had a few men still on his side, but the loss of his Generals’ loyalty was a devastating blow to him. If he cared enough to dwell on the issue, and only when he was alone in his room, he found himself regretting not finding another way to get rid of Haggar’s trace on him. Ultimately, he only regretted Narti’s demise because he had unknowingly severed his ties with all _four_ of his esteemed generals, rather than just one.

The Prince pushed the thoughts away, as it was not an appropriate time to think about it, and returned his attention to his communicator. Voltron’s correspondences were his highest priority if he wanted to forge an alliance. As he read the message, he smiled to himself. Yes, a visit to the Altean Castle _would_ be nice.

* * *

Shiro tiptoed around the Castle for the next few hours. He was the closest thing Matt had to home, but he still wasn’t on the closest of terms with him. He had asked Lance to give him the news about Pidge because he knew that the two got along well. And _maybe_ because he was afraid of being the bearer of bad news. He didn’t know if he could handle seeing his junior cry.

Still, as the tension rose in the air of the ship, the Black Paladin knew that doing nothing was not an option. Matt didn’t seem to be calming down, but Shiro didn’t know what to do or say to help him do so. It was just as Matt had said, how could he call himself a leader?

* * *

Katie’s eyes watered as she pushed herself harder to complete the trip. She hadn’t seen anyone stop or slack off, and was wondering why. She should have _known_ there was a good reason why none of the other prisoners stopped for breaks, yet she tried to anyway.

Just a varga earlier, she had set down the sack of salt she was carrying to rest for a moment. Immediately, she had been caught resting by a guard and shocked with what she could only describe as a cattle prod. It hurt, both physically and her pride, to be shocked so suddenly and without warning. The Green Paladin kept her head up and strained herself to continue with the work for the rest of the day, for fear of punishment.

The day continued to gruel on, with no rest in sight. Pidge’s limbs ached from the sheer labor of her job and absence of reprieve. Finally, after she had been there for nearly an entire day, they called them to return to their cells.

As the young Paladin lay in her cell, she wondered what would come next.

* * *

“So just give them the fucking lion.” Matt stood, his arms folded as he stared down the team in the common area. Allura’s face contorted uncomfortably as she knew she had to articulate her thoughts.

“We _can’t_ do that, Matthew.” She said softly. As commanding as she could be, the Princess felt like this was a matter to be solved through gentle words, not by orders. “We don’t even know if they intend to follow through with their bargain.”

“ _So what_ !” He snapped, throwing his hands down. He brought a finger up to Allura, pointing at her as he spoke, “ _You’re_ in charge here, get my sister _back_.”

Lance stepped forward and placed his hand on Matt’s, lowering it slowly. The rebel’s glare snapped to the Red Paladin and he opened his mouth to lay into him, as well.

“Princess Allura _is_ in charge.” Hunk intervened, halting Matt’s words before they began. “Meaning that no Paladin, least of all a _guest_ , gets to order her around.” His steady words hid an edge, one that could be easily recognized as one not to meddle with.

The eldest Holt sibling glanced around at the faces locked onto him. Allura and Coran looked to him with the utmost sympathy, and Shiro simply looked pained. Hunk and Lance, on the other hand, looked downright threatening to him. The Red Paladin’s gaze seemed like it was telling him to just _try_ and say another word to the Princess. Yellow’s had the same protective glare.

Defeated, Matt heaved a sigh and snatched his hand away from Lance.

“Katie is a prisoner on a ship, scared out of her mind, and she thinks that you’re doing everything you can to get her back, but that’s a goddamn _lie_.” With his words out in the air, hanging like a noose for them all to see, Matt stormed off towards his room.

A tick passed.

Two.

“He was _so_ fucking out of line.” Lance said, his tone still on edge from Matt’s behavior towards Allura. Hunk nodded in agreement, but Shiro looked at him with reproach.

“Lance-”

“No, Shiro, that _was_ out of line.” Hunk interrupted, unwilling to let Matt’s actions be swept under the rug for the sake of sensitivity. “We’re _all_ upset about Pidge being captured, and we’re _all_ doing the best we can to plan a rescue. The only person who’s _not_ is the one who just stomped out of here.”

The Alteans looked at one another. Allura seemed to look for reassurance in her advisor, which Coran gave readily with a short nod. She turned back to the team and cleared her throat.

“We’re currently waiting on word from the Blade to see if there are any agents within the ship that Pidge is on. Hunk has organized some tools for us in the event that we go _into_ the prison, which I’ll have him explain later. Unfortunately, until we get a response, we cannot move forward with any kind of rescue.” Her tone dipped low as she addressed the hesitance in rescuing Pidge, but she took a deep breath and regained the strength in her voice as she continued, “That means that for right now, we _need_ to keep the Castle in peak performance, including our team dynamic.”

As she spoke, the others’ expressions wavered between interest and concern. They _knew_ that the team needed to be kept together, but why was it so vital to mention now?

“Our communications with Prince Lotor have finally come to a conclusion.” She said, bringing out the news that she had been withholding. “He will join us on the castle for a cycle, which is about forty days. He seeks amnesty, and wishes to trade this for his knowledge on the Galran Empire and anything he knows that might help us defeat Haggar.”

A soft plop drew the team’s attention. Lance had let his body fall onto the couch in disbelief. He didn’t say anything as he rubbed his face with his hands for a few seconds. The odd gesture seemed to revitalize him and he stood up again and faced his friends.

“You okay, bud?” Hunk asked, hesitantly. He worried about his best friend and didn’t like to see him being worn thin. Lance nodded in response.

“Just a little shocked that we’re about to house a guy we were chasing down only a few turns ago.” He admitted, turning to Allura, “But as the Prince of the Empire, he’s got to know a ton of important information. I assume you’ve thought of protective measures for his stay?” He prompted. The concern on the Princess’s face slowly turned into a soft smile and she nodded.

“He will be accompanied by someone at all times. I would like this to be as subtle as possible, so I would appreciate it if everyone attempted to befriend him.” Lance and Hunk made a face, and Allura chuckled before adding, “I know, but a friend staying at his side is much easier to maintain than a posted guard.”

“Plus if he feels welcomed, an alliance will be an easy score.” Coran quipped. He cut his eyes towards Lance, “And you had better behave. He’s a sharp one, and won’t miss out on any smart remarks.”

The Red Paladin scoffed, “You’re only saying that to _me_ cause Pidge isn’t here!”

* * *

A strong shock threw Katie to the floor. _Reaching_ the camera was easy enough, but the moment she started prying into the side panel of it, a volt of electricity ran through it--and her.

“Son of a _bit-_ ”

“Green Paladin. Touch that again and it’ll cost you your hand.” A speaker rang out. Katie hadn’t noticed it, but the warning coming out of it pointed her in the right direction. Just outside of her cell was a small box directed inward, the speaker. She assumed that it was the same person who has knocked her out, and hoped that there were microphones in her cell as well.

“Who _are_ you?” She shouted, balling her hands into fists. They stung, from parts of her palm being worn down into blisters, but she ignored the pain.

“Not a friend of yours, and not someone with the time to speak. Do not attempt that again.” The voice cut out, with nothing helpful save for the certainty of its owner. It was definitely the same person, but ultimately that meant nothing to her.

“Of _fucking_ course I can’t get a break.” She mumbled to herself, “I just need one good-” She immediately halted. She had _just_ confirmed that they could hear her, yet continued to speak out loud. What a terrible habit it was, speaking out loud to herself.

Still, she _did_ need one good entry spot. A control panel, if possible. She just had to hack her way into something useful that could get her out of here.

* * *

Lotor’s arrival was a quaint meeting. Matt refused to leave his room, and the others hoped that meant he wouldn’t make a scene in front of the Prince.

Hunk cooked _real_ food, the kind that they had in storage and saved for special occasions. Already, Lance felt like that was a good enough reason to give Lotor the benefit of the doubt.

“Please, allow me to introduce myself properly,” He greeted, dipping his head slightly. They stood outside of the dining room, nearly ready to sit and eat together. “I’m Prince Lotor, and I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Allura found herself caught up in the moment, his behavior reminding her so much of what it was like meeting diplomats on Altea. “Princess Allura, the pleasure is mine.” She replied, dipping her own head in response. She gestured towards Coran, who repeated the motion. “And this is my advisor and friend, Coran.”

Shiro picked up on the greeting immediately and bowed slightly as well, “I’m Takashi Shirogane, the Black Paladin. Please call me Shiro.” Lotor smiled in response and looked to the others.

Hunk smiled and gave a little wave, “Hi, I’m Hunk, uh actually that’s just a nickname but everyone calls me that. I’m the Yellow Paladin.” The Prince chuckled at the awkward introduction.

“No need to be nervous, Hunk. The name is very nice.” Hunk felt himself flush a little, he got compliments often enough, but rarely from complete strangers.

“And I’m Lance!” He interjected, “The Red Paladin.” Lance made finger guns at Lotor, flashing him his brightest smile. Lotor, to his surprise, seemed content to remain by Hunk’s side.

“Pleasure.” Lotor replied curtly. He turned back to Hunk, and began asking about the dinner and daily life in the Castle.

Allura and Lance exchanged glances. They had found Lotor’s friend and guard.

* * *

The next time Katie was pulled from her cell, it certainly didn’t feel like she had slept through the night. Unfortunately, she had no way of telling time. She trailed along with the other prisoners, keeping a keen eye out for any openings. They walked through a few rooms and corridors, taking them to the work area. It was a different section of the ship than yesterday, what appeared to be a factory of some sort.

Of _course_ she was at a labor camp that exploited the prisoners. The Green Paladin fell in line with the others easily enough, fully understanding the tedious work even if she didn’t want to do it. All she had to do was piece together two different metal parts. She had no idea what they went to, though, as she passed each newly joined part onto the next person in the assembly line. She briefly wondered if the prison would compensate her or the other prisoners for their work, but brushed the thought away as she remembered the cattle prod from the day before.

If they were so willing to physically punish them, then there was no way they would be willing to properly pay them for their work. Especially from an Empire like the Galran Empire.

As she continued to scan the room for something useful, Pidge methodically completed her work. Finally, as she looked to one of the corners, she found a communicator. A small computer set up in the corner as what looked like a miniature control center. That would be _perfect_.

* * *

 **_Bayard and suit destroyed. No comm. No weapon. No tech_ ** **.**

The transmission worried Shiro. He was confident in Katie’s ability to hold out, but it had already been a day since she was captured and he was _scared_ for her. Even with how strong and able she was, their Green Paladin was still a _child_ , just as Lance had said.

He called for the others, save for Hunk, and gathered them up to relay the message. As they joined him, he could see a mixed reaction. Relief, frustration, and--on Matt--anger.

The Black Paladin wasn’t sure how Matt was _still_ angry, but his ignorance didn’t prevent guilt from forming. The rebel was right, it _was_ Shiro’s responsibility to keep Katie safe, and he had _failed_.

* * *

**_Blade here. We can talk for the next quintent. Respond quickly._ **

* * *

“I suppose you think you’re smart?” The voice of Pidge’s captor asked. She didn’t remember how she got back into her cell, but she knew it had something to do with the vaguely familiar pain in her head. “Hacking into my system is a crime punishable by death, you know.”

Pidge brought a hand up to the pain and could feel blood. Not much, but she had been hit hard enough to bleed when she was caught near the computer. She wondered if her message had sent. A sudden force sent her flying, only to land square on her back in the middle of the cell.

“I was _talking_ to you.” They snapped angrily, stalking up to where she laid. The officer’s uniform boot rose up and was pressed into her throat.

“Ple-ase.” She choked out, her hands flying to the Galran’s ankle. The pressure eased up and the officer leaned over Pidge’s face.

“You’re only alive right now because a _dead_ Paladin is even more useless than you are.” They explained with contempt. “At least alive, your teammates won’t search for your replacement just yet.” A scoff rang out and Pidge felt the foot be completely removed at last. “Now stay away from electronics, or I’ll give you a more lasting warning.”


	3. Diplomacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Prince Lotor's arrival, the team must balance a volatile Matt and their diplomacy for the time being. Lance and Hunk handle a few things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still shooting for an update every weekend, and this time it's closer! It's odd having a weekly goal so once I get used to it I'll be more regular! Until then, please enjoy! I always appreciate comments and kudos!!!

The dinner with Prince Lotor went along swimmingly. The half-Galran man had the grace and poise that anyone would have associated with a fairytale prince. He asked polite questions that kept things just superficial enough to maintain a level of conversation that was both flowing and comfortable. He learned about their daily life. Trivial things that really didn’t matter, but that helped the team get to know and become more adjusted to him. In turn, he graciously answered any question that the Paladins asked of him. It was easy, as they also kept things appropriate and just at the surface.

“How do you manage to keep your hair so shiny?” Lance blurted, curious how the man kept the long hair well maintained even in the void of space. “Do you have any special products or is that some kind of Galran, Altean gene thing that I have no hope of attaining?”

The Prince chuckled, amused by the Red Paladin’s odd question. “I have a specific brush and oils to use on my hair. Princess Allura probably has similar oils in storage, the kind I prefer  _ is _ an Altean blend.” He had been asked many times before about his hair, but always by potential matches or fans. That in and of itself was a shock, considering he didn’t expect so many people to root for an exiled Prince.

Lance turned to Allura with pleading eyes and she sighed in resignation. The Cuban boy would have felt bad, if it weren’t for the smile she was fighting as she said, “I have some oils, I  _ suppose _ we could drag them out and have a day of it.” Lance fist-pumped in his seat.

“You’re the  _ best _ , Princess!” He hooted, digging back into his food to allow the others their chance to talk to Lotor.

“Would you let me look at your ship sometime?” Hunk asked, delving into something he knew he probably shouldn’t. The Prince didn’t tense up as expected; rather he  _ smiled _ at him.

“I wouldn’t mind showing you,” He replied, the unspoken difference between Hunk and the team lingering in the air. “You could even bring your tools. I’m sure studying the material it and Voltron are made from will give you many hours of interest.” Hunk’s face lit up, excited to have such a good opportunity to research the sincline ship.

“Prince Lotor, we had originally planned to have you board near myself and Coran, but there  _ is _ an open room near Hunk, if the two of you would prefer?” Allura offered, knowing full well that they had not prepared a room for the Prince  _ anywhere _ just yet. Lotor’s pointed ears quirked back, and looked to the Yellow Paladin. Hunk nodded in agreement, a pink tinge spreading across his face. He just  _ knew _ Lance couldn’t wait to talk to him.

Allura clapped her hands together in excitement, “Then it’s settled, we’ll set you up in there once dinner is over. Perhaps Lance and Hunk could do that, while Shiro, Coran, and I discuss more  _ political _ matters with you?”

* * *

Matt swung his staff at the gladiator, striking it down with a single blow. He huffed and spun around, making contact with another. He jabbed it rapidly and brought his leg up in a wide-swung kick to bring it to the ground. As he fought, his breathing steadily increased, until he was panting while taking down bot after bot. He had been in there for a few hours now, letting himself stew in the resentment he had started building for the team and for  _ Lotor _ . 

A beep pulled him out of his thoughts. He dropped his staff and shouted out the command to halt the training and rushed over to his communicator.

He read the message quietly. A few ticks passed, and he read it again. And again. Again. He gripped his communicator tightly, and before he could think better of it, threw it as hard as he could across the training floor.

Voltron couldn’t help Katie, and neither could any of his contacts within the rebellion.  _ And _ Voltron was holding a snake of a man in their castle. What was he going to do to help his little sister?

* * *

“You  _ flirted _ .” Lance teased, following Hunk towards the spare room next to his. Hunk’s room was in the middle of the hall, with Pidge’s to one side and a spare to the other. Lance, Keith, and Matt had rooms in a separate hall, as well as Allura, Coran, and Shiro. Of course, Lotor was going to be roomed near whoever he was most friendly with, so those were subject to change anyway.

Hunk hid his face with his hands as they stood in front of the spare room, “I  _ know _ , I was so embarrassed why did he have to like  _ me _ ?” He whined. Lance laughed, and gestured wildly to Hunk’s entire figure.

“ _ Why did he have to like me _ ?” Lance mimicked, then, “More like why  _ wouldn’t _ he like you?” He opened the door and turned to his friend, “In case you haven’t noticed, you’re a  _ hunk _ . I didn’t give you that nickname for no reason, and it certainly didn’t  _ stick _ for no reason.” 

Nervously, Hunk laughed in response. His hand found the back of his neck and he smiled sheepishly at his friend, “Lance I’m not really all-”

The Red Paladin furrowed his brows together and tutted at him, silencing his words. “I’ll fucking fight anyone who talks shit about you, that  _ includes  _ you.” He punched him in the arm, just a gesture, and added, “I swear to god, I only hit on people I think are attractive.” 

Hunk scoffed, then looked at Lance with the utmost seriousness, “You flirt with  _ everyone _ .” The shorter boy shrugged.

“ _ Everyone _ ’s attractive?” He offered. Another look came from Hunk and Lance let out an indignant squawk, “Everyone has  _ something _ good about them and who am I to focus on their flaws if their personality is good? I know you do the same thing!”

Hands up in surrender, the Yellow Paladin conceded, “Okay, okay, fair enough.” He glanced at the untouched room they had been standing in for almost the entirety of the conversation. “Let’s get this over with.”

* * *

“Princess, forgive me for my inquiry,” Prince Lotor said, derailing the conversation about Haggar’s robeasts, “but I thought that Voltron had  _ five _ Paladins. Where is your Green Paladin?” 

The three in the room, Allura, Shiro, and Coran, froze. They had hoped to avoid even  _ mentioning _ Pidge. They trusted Lotor enough to negotiate with him, but that didn’t take much trust at all. Telling him sensitive information about a Paladin in trouble, that was another matter. 

“Actually,” Shiro spoke first, coming to a story the fastest, “she’s on a mission right now. I need to go check for messages. Excuse me while I see how she’s doing on the infiltration of the prison ship.” He scuttled out of the room and toward the control room, hoping that he hadn’t sounded like he was rambling.

The Princess picked up the lie smoothly, “I can’t believe we neglected to mention her absence, my apologies.” She cleared her throat a little, as if to signify starting over, “Our Green Paladin is currently on a mission to infiltrate and gather intel about a prison ship. I’m sure you understand that, given our current state, we cannot divulge more details about her mission or whereabouts with you.”

The Prince nodded, “Of course, I understand completely. I wish her well on the mission, and hope for a safe return. I would like to meet the last of the Paladins of Voltron.”

* * *

Shiro typed furiously at the keyboard. Coran had confirmed just before the Prince’s arrival that the message had  _ definitely _ come from Pidge, but there hadn’t been a way to respond. The signal was from  _ within _ the ship. She had hacked into something to send it.

Luckily, though, the Blade had also responded and he would be able to start a real conversation now. He hit ‘send’ on his message, a request for a video call. Some things were simply easier spoken than written.

Ticks later, the screen sprung to life, with Keith on it. His stoic expression softened slightly and the corner of his lips quirked into the ghost of a smile. It was still jarring for Shiro to see the young man in the Blade’s attire.

“Shiro, good to hear from you. Or, it would be, if this was a personal call. What’s wrong?” The Black Paladin laughed dryly at the greeting. Still as awkward as ever over the phone. He remembered when he had called Keith for the first time when he was trying to recruit the boy.  _ That _ was fun.

“It’s Pidge.” He said quietly, “She’s been captured. I’ll send you the ship’s coordinates, but I need to know if there are any Blade members aboard that can help stage a rescue mission.” He took a deep breath, “Earlier today we received a message from her that they had taken all of her gear and destroyed it. She hacked into the ship’s systems to do so, though, so it’s likely she’s been punished for it.”

Keith nodded, and shouted out for a Blade member. Shiro could faintly hear the person’s response, then the former Red Paladin followed up with, “Incoming coordinates, prepare for an upload.” He turned back to Shiro, “Alright, send them our way.”

The Black Paladin thanked the stars he had memorized the coordinates, and typed them into a message for the Blade. “Done.” He replied, after he hit send. Keith stared at something off screen until a small ping came through. He nodded curtly.

“Got it. And by our database,” Keith hesitated, again looking off screen, “we have two members out there. I’ll contact Kolivan right now so you guys can organize this rescue, the members will have to contact  _ you _ , though. Are you working it out or-?” He left the question open, unsure of who they would have planning it.

“Allura, probably,” Shiro supplied. “Lance is helping Hunk keep the Prince preoccupied during his downtime. I think he’s a little jealous, honestly.” Keith scoffed.

“When  _ isn’t _ he jealous? Especially when it comes to Hunk, he wants  _ all _ of his attention.” He smiled fondly, “How is he? How is  _ everyone _ ?” Keith corrected himself quickly, he wanted to know about the  _ entire _ team.

“They’re good. It’s rough sometimes, and they  _ all _ miss you, but we’re getting by.” Shiro paused, “You should visit sometime.”

“Yeah,” Keith breathed, thinking of fond memories between him and the other Paladins, “I should.”

* * *

Lotor gave Hunk a tour of his ship once the meeting between the diplomats was over. He watched in amusement as the Yellow Paladin fawned over the technology he had taken for granted. It was a pure, childlike fascination that the Prince couldn’t bring himself to feel anything but contentedness towards.

“It’s a shame you weren’t in the meeting today, Hunk.” Lotor said, as the Yellow Paladin scanned over the control  board for the ship. “I would have expected such a well-adjusted person to be present.”

Hunk glanced up at him, “Well, Prince-”

“Please, call me Lotor,” The Galran man interrupted.

“Lotor,” Hunk began again, “I have been working with the Princess and Coran to learn more about diplomatic etiquette, actually. I just haven’t been doing it for very long and they don’t want to make me be apart of it in real situations until I’m more comfortable.” Hunk saw an odd look cross Lotor’s eyes as he explained, but he couldn’t recognize it. 

“That’s wonderful,” he replied, “I see my concerns were for nothing.”

Hunk laughed goodnaturedly, but felt himself grow a bit uncomfortable with his company. He finished up his inspection of the internal mechanisms of the ship and turned to Lotor.

“Well, today has been a really long day, are you ready for bed?” The Prince agreed softly, seemingly embarrassed by his overstep. 

* * *

“We need to contact them  _ now _ , Shiro.” Matt snapped, fists clenched at his sides. The Black Paladin maintained his composure as best as he could.

“Matt,” He replied, shifting closer, “We can’t contact them first unless it’s  _ dire. _ If we try to-” The rebel officer took a step forward and shoved Shiro in the chest, halting his response.

“It  _ is  _ dire. Katie is there  _ by herself _ .” He huffed angrily and kept his hands at the ready, “She’s already hacked into their system once.  _ If _ , and that’s a huge fucking  _ if _ , she hasn’t been severely punished for that, what’s stopping her from doing it  _ again _ ?” His hands waved wildly, fueled by his rage, “What’s stopping  _ them _ from maiming her,  _ killing her _ for it?”

“She’s a Paladin-”

“And your sacred  _ fucking bond _ has already been replaced three times. You’re only the second team to have ever  _ piloted _ these fucking mechs, how do you know that they won’t accept just  _ anyone _ ?” He ranted on, breathing raggedly between the few and far between pauses, “The entire  _ Universe _ has seen these lion switches, who’s to say the Galran even  _ value her as a Paladin _ ?”

If a pin had dropped in that moment, the noise would have rung loud and clear. Then, as if he had been waiting for the silence to settle, Matt took a deep, shaky breath and allowed himself to begin regulating his breathing. Shiro stood, stunned, unable to figure out what needed to be done.

Neither noticed the quiet footsteps of the Red Paladin until he was already upon them. In a flash, he snatched Matt up by the cloth of his collar and laid him out. The eldest Holt sibling stumbled back, a bit too shocked by Lance’s sudden appearance and attack to respond. The lack of a sting on his knuckles, and of a red mark on Matt’s face proved that Lance hadn’t hit him at full force. Nonetheless, his message was clear.

“What the f-”

“ _ You. _ Are out. Of line.” Lance emphasized each part of the phrase, his expression hard and unforgiving. It was out of place for such seriousness on the Red Paladin’s face. Neither Matt nor Shiro were accustomed to Lance being not only deathly  _ serious _ , but also  _ livid _ .

He let Matt stand up in silence, and waited until he looked like he was about to speak again before clasping his hand roughly on his shoulder. “It’s time for a talk.”

“About  _ what _ ? Your inability to get my  _ sister _ ?” Matt sneered back. Shiro felt unable to intervene. He wished it was because he wanted to allow Lance the opportunity to handle the situation, but he knew it was because it felt too personal for him to manage. He was too burdened with guilt, both his own and that added on by Matt’s words, to properly reign him in.

“About  _ your _ inability to work past your anger to  _ help _ us get your sister.” Lance corrected harshly, “At this point, you are choosing  _ anger _ and  _ self-righteousness _ above Pidge’s safety.” He tightened his grip on Matt’s shoulder, “And quite frankly, as someone who considers her a little sister, that  _ pisses me off _ .”

The implication hung in the air like the ring after a slap. Matt  _ felt _ as if he had been slapped. He hadn’t, no, he wouldn’t, his  _ top priority _ was Katie. “That’s bullshit, you’re not-”

“We have contacted an organization capable of assisting with a rescue. We have kept frequencies open for any possible messages from Katie, one of which we have already received.” His voice gained momentum, even with such a starting presence. 

“We have kept a trace on the ship, for which we know its  _ exact location _ . We have kept this ship in running order and even managed to begin peace negotiations with someone whose support could be  _ detrimental _ to the Galran Empire.” His glare cut like a dagger through Matt’s soul, “What have  _ you _ done?”

“I-” He thought of the single message he had sent to the Rebel outpost nearest to them, “I-” More prominent thoughts of his treatment of the rest of the team came to mind, how he blamed them and projected onto them relentlessly for the past two days. “Compared to that,” He replied weakly, “I’ve only gotten in the way.”

Lance’s grip loosened to the point that his hand was simply resting on Matt’s shoulder. He opened his arms up a bit and watched as Matt’s expression melted into sorrow as the tears streamed down his face. As Lance held him, he realized that this was the first time Matt had cried since finding out that Pidge had been captured. He had been so scared and worried, but too hung up on anger to properly be upset.

“We’re going to get her back, I promise.” He said softly, rubbing Matt’s back. “Katie is going to be scared and shaken, but she’ll be safe soon.” He hoped.


	4. Rescue Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue mission is organized, something Matt was worrying about comes to light, and Pidge makes and unsettling revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I skipped last week's update because I had a stomach bug! Sorry about that, I hope you enjoy this anyway! Please tell me what you think in the comments, I LOVE reading them!

_ “This is  _ **_your_ ** _ fault, Lance. You’ve forced my hand.” A flash of purple streaked through the darkness, illuminating a slender Galran man’s face. Long pale hair hung around his face, framing it in disarray. The light reflected off of his red Altean eyescales, a sharp contrast with the pale lilac skin tone. His yellow tinted eyes cut deeply, and- _

_ Movement disrupted the image, the Galran man faded into the black and a human man became visible. His back was turned as he sat on the ground, slumped over in exhaustion. Shirtless and distressed, he stayed frozen in place. Pale scars littered the rich brown skin of his back and arms, painful reminders of what was  _ **_his fault_ ** _.  _

_ The man stirred, lifting his head up to face forward. Hunk suddenly became hyper-aware of his position behind the stranger. Without warning, bright blue eyes met his and he couldn’t understand who it was. Why was this person so hurt and upset? Why was he called Lanc- _

“ _ Lance _ !” Hunk shot up from his bed, shouting for the Red Paladin. A soft knock finished on his door, and it opened up to a confused boy. 

“...yes?” Lance asked, concerned by the urgency of Hunk’s voice. He had come to check on Hunk and Lotor, to ensure that they were coming to breakfast.

The Yellow Paladin rushed to his feet and was at his friend’s side in an instant. He enveloped the smaller boy in a tight hug and took a shaky breath.

“Hey man is everything okay?” Lance asked, returning the hug with minimal delay, “Did you have a nightmare? Want to talk about it?” He could feel a soft nod from Hunk on his shoulder.

“You and Lotor, there were scars and he said that it was your fault, but it wasn’t, and it felt so  _ real _ , like it happened. But I’ve seen you shirtless and you don’t have those scars and we only just met Lotor in person like a day ago, but it just-just, god it was horrible.” He rambled on. Lance had trouble following the frantic explanation, but he did his best.

“You had a nightmare about me being scarred up, and Lotor being horrible to me?” He asked, to confirm. Hunk hummed in agreement, still hugging Lance tightly. He exhaled in a sigh and nodded, “I’ve had similar nightmares. I think they’re just our nerves getting the best of us, bud.”

Hunk hesitated before slowly nodding. “Yeah, I don’t like that guy but I don’t want to assume he’d be bad enough to kidnap someone.” He sighed, still visibly shaken from the dream, “It just felt so real,” The Yellow Paladin mumbled, unable to forget the sight his his best friend in such pain and distress.

The air around them remained tense, despite Lance’s words of reassurance. He knew that it might not have been enough, and he wished he could do better to help his friend. Still, there was only so much one person can do to relieve the fear of a nightmare. He rested his hand on Hunk’s back.

“How about I take over breakfast today? The team’s waiting, so you go on and socialize a bit.” Lance gestured towards the door and they started walking, “Yesterday you spent the whole day with Lotor, so it’ll be good for you to have some down time. If he bugs you too bad, send him my way to help in the kitchen.”

The duo reached the common area quickly enough, the rest of the walk having been spent in a comfortable quiet. Lance looked to the others, all sitting down in the area near the video game Pidge had set up. They were showing off the Earthen culture of the game to the Prince, who had made his way to the group while Lance and Hunk were talking. The Red Paladin glanced between Hunk and the others, nodding as he moved to turn to the kitchen area.

Hunk grabbed his hand before he could leave, and held it tightly. “Lance, you know I love you, right?” He said quietly, “You’re my best friend in the whole  _ universe _ , and you’re always here for me, thanks man.” He laughed nervously, “Talking to you this morning made me feel a lot better.”

Lance’s surprise wore off in an instant and he returned the grip, placing his free hand on top of Hunk’s. “I love you too, Hunk. I’ll always be there for you, you’re my sunshine.”

The Yellow Paladin barked out a laugh, “That’s gay,” he teased. Lance could only wink in response, garnering another hearty laugh. 

As he walked away, Lance could only think of Hunk’s bright smile. He loved to hear his laugh. 

* * *

Katie faced no major repercussions for her stunt with the computer. She was pulled into solitary confinement, with no access to anything electronic, but did not receive any lashings, shocks, or other beatings. She had seen several people with scars, wounds, and bruises for less. 

She thought long and hard as the time ticked past in her cell. There was really nothing else  _ for _ her to do. There were no visits from her captor, there were no entries for her to hack, there was  _ nothing _ . And it was driving her insane. She  _ hated _ being unable to do anything.

Was the team alright? She had been the only one taken, as far as she knew. Were they fighting? Since Keith had gone over to the Blade more permanently, there were less spats. Lance simply didn’t butt heads with anyone like he did with the former Red Paladin. Were they worried? Pidge considered herself a capable Paladin and fighter, but she recognized that she was still the youngest and that the others were protective of her. She didn’t blame them, she was protective of them, as well.

How was  _ Matt _ ? That was the question that hung in her mind. Her brother was the smartest person she knew, but also had a tendency to be immature at times. She wondered if he was frantic, or withdrawing from the team. Or maybe he had stepped up into his own and was helping them organize a rescue.

The thought of a rescue brought her back to her situation. When  _ would _ she be rescued? They were coming for her. Lance had promised that much, and she knew that none of them would leave her to rot here. She just wished the rescue would come  _ sooner _ , rather than  _ later. _ Especially with how little information she was able to access. She had hoped to make the best of it, but by then she realized that her captors weren’t going to give her any wiggle room in the foreseeable future. The  _ last _ thing she wanted was to be stuck on a prison ship for an extended period of time.  

* * *

“Lance, I just don’t know what to do.” Matt vented, his hands moving wildly as he spoke. The Red Paladin had unknowingly become the rebel’s go-to person to talk to. “I want to help find Katie, but all of my information is useless. She’s in a high-level security ship and I only have info on the lower-level ones that patrol on the outskirts of the Empire.”

Lance hummed, continuing his work in the kitchen as Matt spoke. He was interested, really, but the dishes still had to be cleaned. He wasn’t about to ask Hunk to help when he  _ just _ said that he needed some social time. The Red Paladin glanced at Matt, who was about to begin speaking again. Yeah, he wasn’t getting any help from him with the dishes, either. 

“I know the Princess wants to trust this Lotor guy but we  _ can’t _ let him know about Katie being kidnapped. I mean I feel like that’s just  _ asking _ for trouble, you know?” Lance nodded along, starting to rinse the plates. “Do you think we could try to send in a drone? Like the one Katie told me about, Rover? I can rig one up pretty easily, and then we could send it in.”

Lance set down the last of the dishes and flicked water off of his hands. “Shiro has already contacted the Blade, and we’re just waiting on word from their inside man. We  _ will _ get her back. Katie is super resilient.” He nudged Matt, “Didn’t she ever tell you about the time we got smacked out of the wormhole? She built an entire tower out of space junk to contact us. She  _ will  _ be okay.”

Matt laughed, “Yeah, okay.” He glanced up at the Red Paladin, “I’m sorry for how I acted, I was really scared, and I knew that there wasn’t much I could do.” He sighed and leaned against the counter, slumping a little, “I overreacted big time. I haven’t been that scared since, since, sin-you know.” Lance joined him against the counter, his shirt wet from the sink. 

“Since you were captured?” He supplied. Matt nodded, and Lance turned a blind eye to the tears forming in the other boy’s eyes. Silence settled, an unease slithering around them like a viper. There was something between them being left unspoken, but neither could quite place it. A moment passed, and another. Just as it was about to become unbearable, Lance took a sharp intake of breath. 

“They won’t test on her like they did with you, Matt.” The rebel’s eyes clamped shut and he shook his head furiously. Lance gingerly placed his arm around Matt’s shoulder. “You, and Shiro, and Sam were a new species. They tested on you guys for information, and now they have it. They won’t do the things to her that they did to you.”

Matt sucked in a breath, “How did you-I didn’t tell-” His voice caught, and he hung his head low. Lance rubbed his back gently and sighed.

“We saw the files, and it wasn’t hard to understand. They tested on all three of you pretty bad, didn’t they?” He paused, “I don’t want to make you relive those times, man. I just want you to know that Pidge won’t face that. It wouldn’t make sense for them to do anything risky with her.”

* * *

Pidge kicked at the wall again. She was sluggish and tired, worn out from simply existing. Was it possible to be tired from doing nothing? She was pretty sure she had read about that somewhere. The littlest Paladin wished she had paid more attention in the physical training of the Garrison. How do you  _ physically _ get out of a spaceship? What do you do when the locking mechanism doesn’t work? 

_ “You fix it!” _ Her own voice rang through her memory, a taunt from the back of her mind. It was something she had said to Iverson the day they were working of emergency escapes from dangerous situations. They never covered being held hostage, but they  _ did _ cover a non-responsive ship. She groaned, remembering the lesson.

_ Iverson had set the training ship to lockdown and was having people break out, one by one. Pidge was working on a coding project of hers, the brainchild that helped lead her to Shiro’s return signal. She ignored everything going on around her, right up until it was her turn. _

_“Pidge Gunderson, what do you do when the locking mechanism doesn’t work?” He shouted at her. He seemed to have_ ** _always_** _been shouting._

“ _ You fix it.” She quipped back, loading into the training ship. Iverson scoffed, slamming the door behind her. _

_ “Watch and do  _ **_not_ ** _ follow Cadet Gunderson’s footsteps.” Iverson addressed the rest of the class, hoping to publicly humiliate the spiteful cadet. He didn’t know what she was capable of, though. _

_ The ship had plenty of entryways and she was able to hack into the external system keeping the ship’s power from routing to the locking mechanisms. Rather that using brute force to escape like the exercise intended, she really  _ **_did_ ** _ fix it.  _

_ She earned a C grade and a detention for her insubordination.  _

“And I never learned the fucking lesson.” She muttered to herself. She groaned loudly, kicking at the wall again. “I’m a fucking  _ moron _ .”

* * *

Shiro called for the team late that evening. Everyone save for Hunk and Lotor showed up, to everyone’s relief. Lance had offered to take Lotor, but the Prince was enamored with the Yellow Paladin and Hunk assured his friend that he felt well enough to have some more time with just the two of them.

“There is a single Blade member within the ship that Pidge is on. We got  _ extremely _ lucky.” Shiro began, standing before the rest of the team with a commanding presence. The others sat in the common room, hanging onto his every word. “We just received word from them that they would be able to send Pidge our way tomorrow. There’s a prisoner rotation being done in the middle of the day, and the Blade thinks he can move Pidge to an escape pod in time to avoid detection.”

Shiro’s gaze swept the room. Lance was focused on Matt, oblivious to the concern of his teammate. The Alteans were elated to have news of Pidge’s impending return, and he himself was immensely relieved. 

“We’ll be there, in our lions to receive her. There might be some incoming fire if they are alerted of her escape soon enough, but we should be able to outgun them long enough to get her back to the castle.” He paused, “Any questions?”

“What are we doing with Lotor?” Lance spoke, quick to the draw. “We can’t be down a lion, it’s bad enough that we can’t bring Green to pick Pidge up, we  _ can’t _ leave Hunk behind to babysit the Prince.”

Shiro’s confidence faltered. “I-I hadn’t considered that. Matt or Coran,” the two snapped their attention to him, “maybe one of you could try to warm up to him a little tonight and tomorrow so that it’s not so sudden when the rest of us leave for the mission?”

The Black Paladin looked expectantly towards the two in question. Matt surprised him by perking up at the opportunity. Coran side-eyed him, but remained silent.

“I can try,” Matt replied, “it beats sitting around feeling useless.” He smiled at Shiro, then turned to Coran. The expression slipped under the older man’s gaze. Coran watched him carefully.

“Now hold up, hold up,” Lance interrupted, standing to come between Shiro and Matt. He pointed towards the rebel, “You don’t like Lotor, and you hate that he’s on the ship.” He brought the facts to everyone’s attention, “I want to know why you’re volunteering to babysit him.” Matt grinned sheepishly.

“I don’t trust him,” He said quietly, now under the gaze of Lance, Shiro,  _ and _ Coran, “And I really want to be near him to make sure he doesn’t do anything to compromise the mission.”

A short silence settled over the team. Matt’s determination burned through them all, and Shiro was the first to concede.

“Alright. You’ll stay back with him, Coran can monitor the Castle’s vitals as we approach the surrounding area in preparation for their escape.” He replied. A ping rang out, and he glanced towards his communicator. Shiro smiled in relief as he added, “They’re getting ready for extraction now. Suit up, guys.”

* * *

Having been in the new cell for nearly a whole day, Pidge realized how little she enjoyed being left to her own devices. She estimated that she had been gone for about three days, a time frame she would have previously considered a vacation to get away from the rest of the team. Now, she found herself worried about interrogation.

Would she have what it takes, the  _ strength _ that Shiro, Matt, and her father had, to keep from giving out information to the Galra if they tortured her? She held her knees closely against her chest, sitting on the uncomfortable, cold floor of her cell. She  _ hoped _ so. Certainly, death would be better than betrayal. 

_ Still _ , there were doubts in her mind. What if they didn’t torture her to get information? Voltron didn’t torture anyone the last time they tried to interrogate an enemy. No, they had  _ extracted _ the information directly from his mind. With ten  _ thousand  _ year old technology. She shuddered at the thought of what current, up-to-date technology was capable of. 

Could she fight something as invasive as  _ that _ ? How would she even fight that? What could she do to prevent it from escalating that far? Could she survive? Did she  _ have _ to survive?

A sharp chill rushed over the small girl. Her thoughts had gone somewhere she hadn’t expected, but suddenly had to address. If it came down to her life and her team, could she make the right decision? What  _ was _ the right decision? She felt it deep in her bones, no matter what they did to her she could prevent from willingly giving them information. She would  _ never _ trade her life or safety for the entirety of Voltron. To do so would be to condemn the universe.

But that wasn’t the issue, was it? She knew that she could refrain from speaking, but had no idea how she could keep her mind from being extracted. Or rather, she didn’t want to consider how to keep it from happening. Whether it was by her own hand or through the provocation of a soldier, she wondered if she should kill herself to keep the secrets of Voltron safe.

* * *

“Shiro where the  _ fuck _ is this inside man?” Lance asked, impatience seeping into his voice, “The rendezvous was over two hours ago, and Lotor knows something is up. At this rate we either need a legitimate lie or to tell him what’s going on.” He exhaled sharply, “ _ And _ we need to know why this isn’t happening.”

Shiro hesitated, his communicator had been deathly silent since his last contact with the Blade member aboard the ship Pidge was being held on. Now, as he listened to Lance’s concern, he realized just how bad this was. The entire team was laid out in the emptiness of space near a large and fully manned prisoner ship like sitting ducks. “Give me a second.”

He typed into his communicator, and a call sent out to the Blade contact had last used to speak to Keith. “Come on,” he muttered, praying that the former Paladin would answer.

“Shiro?” Keith sprung to life on the screen, but his demeanor was surprised and hushed. He was very obviously  _ not _ supposed to be answering any kind of call.

“Keith, your Blade member hasn’t made contact, they were supposed to rejoin us hours ago, is everything okay?” The younger man’s brow knitted together in concern.

“I-uh-yeah, hang on.” He said, his mind searching for the pieces to put together. He ducked out of the communicator’s range momentarily, but Shiro could still hear muffled exchanges in the background. Keith seemed to be asking about the rescue mission.

“Keith?”

He came back into range, his frenzied eyes a stark contrast from his otherwise somber expression. The Black Paladin felt his gut twist into knots as Keith replied, “Our spy was captured and publicly executed nearly three hours ago.”

* * *

“You son of a bitches will  _ never _ win, I’ll use every  _ ounce _ of my being and  _ personally _ see to your  _ end _ !” Pidge screamed, venting her frustrations from the top of her lungs. It felt good, she had to admit, even once the tears came.

She cried alone in that small, cold cell. For three days now she had been away from her new family, and she felt afraid every step of the way. The tears helped her release tension as she remembered Lance’s promise to her.

“ _ We’re going to get you out of there. _ ” He had said to her, he had  _ shouted _ , “ _ Katie Holt, you’re going to get out of there no matter what.” _ The determination behind his promise gave her hope, and made her realize the answer to her previous dilemma.

She wanted to protect her team  _ and _ live. To sacrifice her life for them would only be bittersweet, and would tear them apart for being unable to save her. She would keep the secrets of Voltron  _ and herself _ safe.


	5. Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt voices some long-overdue suspicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's been a while since I updated. There's been a lot of things going on in my personal life and I just wasn't in a position or a mindset to write. I'm still not completely over everything, but I'm on the upswing! Thank you guys so much for your patience for this chapter, I hope you enjoy it!

Pidge dried her tears on the scrap of a cloth she was wearing for a shirt. The tatters in the ‘shirt’ made her wonder briefly if the horrible condition of the clothing was on  _ purpose _ , or just from being reused so many times. She slid the fabric between her fingers and came to the conclusion that the Galran Empire was definitely reusing the shirts until they fell to bits. Why would she think they would bother giving prisoners  _ new _ clothing?

Footsteps echoed near her cell, making her shoot up from her hunched over position. Maybe she could get some answers from the person approaching. A few seconds passed, and a guard stopped at the door of her cell.

The sight of food in the guard’s hand made Pidge’s stomach cramp up in hunger, as if suddenly remembering how long it had been since she last ate. Stubbornly, her body remained in place, save for her eyes. She shifted her gaze from the plate of food to the guard.

A feminine galran, the guard stood with an expression far different than Pidge had seen previously. The woman looked almost  _ guilty _ . No, that wasn’t the right word. Sympathetic? No matter the exact emotion, Pidge could easily see that the woman’s expression was  _ soft _ in comparison to everything she had encountered thus far.

“Eat this, little one.” She said softly. She extended her reach towards the cell slot, sliding the tray through gently. “You’ll lose your strength like this, and the work does not stop for the sake of one.”

Pidge eyed the contents of the tray for a moment before lunging after it. Ravenous from days of nothing for food, the hunger that had gnawed at the back of her thoughts came alive with a vengeance. A hard, vaguely bread-like food slowed her down, forcing her to actually chew during the meal. The moment it was gone, she slurped the goo out of its bowl and downed the glass of water within seconds.

The woman watched with wide eyes, concern growing, “Poor thing,” She breathed, “Had they not brought you food?” She shook her head, clearly upset with the prison, “I am not surprised, but it makes it no better.”

“Can you,” Pidge clutched at her gut, feeling a slight discomfort from gorging herself, “Can you bring me more later?” 

The alien smiled, “Of course, I will look out for you, small one.”

* * *

“Lance you gotta hear me out, it’s  _ Lotor _ .” Matt stood before Lance in the Red Paladin’s bedroom, upon his own insistence. He  _ had _ to tell him, and it  _ had _ to be private. “There’s no other way.”

The Red Paladin mulled over Matt’s theory in his mind, lolling his head to the side as he thought. “I think you’re onto something. There  _ is _ a reason why our rescue failed so badly. I’m not saying for sure that it’s Lotor, but it’s worth looking into.”

Matt exhaled sharply, “That’s all I ask. And, and-” He waved his hand wildly towards the door, “Shiro won’t even speak to me, neither will Coran, and Hunk and Allura are too busy babysitting the Prince.” Lance nodded along before speaking.

“Matt, you  _ did _ say some pretty awful things to Shiro. You questioned his leadership ability and his loyalty to the team, something that he’s  _ always _ been self-conscious of. And,” He gestured towards the rebel, “you’ve made quite the point to show how little you think about Lotor. Hunk and Allura are busy keeping him engaged in  _ political _ stuff, they can’t exactly visit with you, man.”

Matt’s eyes drooped a bit. “Could you,” he hesitated, “ _ not _ tell them that the suspicion is coming from me?” The Red Paladin’s responseless stare bid him to elaborate, “ _ Just _ so that they’ll take it seriously.”

“No.”

“But La-”

“I’m  _ not _ lying to our team because you don’t think they’ll trust your instincts. We all understand that you’re vulnerable right now, and that it’s affecting your judgement. That’s  _ why  _ they let you lash out for so long. How quick do you think Allura would have shut you down if you had challenged her authority like you did earlier under normal circumstances?”

Matt had no response as his gaze fell to the floor. 

“But more importantly we trust  _ you. _ ” Lance said, resting his hand on Matt’s shoulder. The rebel looked up to Lance. The Red Paladin’s face was devoid of any resentment or anger, instead showing a relaxed and comforting expression. It was a breath of fresh air for Matt, far different than the awkward exchanges of sympathy and repressed anger he had been having with the others.

“Matt, you’re an important member of the team and as someone who has managed to survive in space basically alone, we’re  _ not _ going to just completely discount your suspicions just because it’s towards Lotor.” His other hand reached up to grab Matt more firmly, with both resting square on his shoulders, “I  _ assure you _ , you’re not the only one who doesn’t trust Lotor.”

* * *

“Yellow Paladin, I  _ must  _ say, your creative genius is going to waste with your time in the kitchen.” Lotor gushed, taking a bite out of the meal before him. He swallowed the bite and hummed in appreciation, “If you used only half of the creativity from your meals in the creation of chemicals and machinery, Voltron would be functioning and twice it’s current capacity.”

The complement settled uneasily among the paladins present. Shiro shifted in his seat and cut his eyes to the Princess, to gauge her reaction. She caught his eye, mouth stuffed with a roasted vegetable of some sort, and gave as much of a sheepish grin as she could.

Hunk smiled, though the brightness that normally accompanied it was lacking. “Well, you know,” He laughed to break up his response a bit, the noise reverberating like hollow waves, “the quickest way to someone’s heart is through their stomach…?” Despite his strong start, he wasn’t sure how to respond, resulting in more of a question than a statement. Lotor laughed, but the Yellow Paladin wasn’t sure what exactly he was laughing  _ at. _

The meal was long and chatty, but not without its discomfort.  _ Hunk _ was uncomfortable. He just wanted to sneak into Lance’s room and stay there while the Princess entertained Lotor. That thought made him feel a little guilty, but it persisted well into the afternoon.

* * *

A defeated  _ plop _ on the bed startled Lance awake. He had just decided to take a short nap and managed to drift away when he was disturbed. The Red Paladin shot up, his eyes immediately drawn towards the exhausted figure on the bed. The figure groaned loudly, deep enough for it to reverberate through the mattress.

“I don’t want to babysit anymore.” Hunk whined, his voice drawing out at the last word. Although he was muffled by his face being down in the covers, Lance understood exactly what he meant. In a dramatic huff, he slumped over his friend’s lower back, laying across him like a cat in a pile.

“I know,” He drew out, his tone matching Hunk’s whine. A sigh heaved through his chest as his own tiredness pressed, “Wanna nap with me?” A grunt came in return, a sure sign that Hunk was already falling asleep.

* * *

“How old are you, little one?” The woman asked, sitting near Pidge’s cell. Her back was to the wall, with her head rolled to the side to listen better to the young girl.

The Green Paladin sat cross-legged on the cell floor, with her food on the tray before her. At the question, she stopping eating and swallowed the mouthful she had, “I’m 16--er,” Pidge realized that years meant absolutely nothing to the woman outside of her cell, “I’m about fifteen or twenty percent of the way through the average lifetime of my species.” She offered. The woman nodded.

“You sound young, like a child.” She replied quietly. Pidge’s heart drummed rapidly in her chest, was this a chance to create an ally? “I have a few children of my own, but they have grown and moved on.”

The young girl in the cell felt her heart still for a tick, as her mind came to a likely conclusion. Her voice acted before she could think it through and she could distantly hear herself breathe out a question.

“You know who I am, don’t you?”

* * *

Matt clasped his hands together, fiddling nervously as he waited for the Princess to acknowledge his presence in the control room. He had been standing there for going on five minutes, and he knew that she was aware of him. He’d seen the way her ears twitched when the door opened to let him in and closed behind him. She was very purposefully making him sweat.

Finally, after what felt like an hour, Allura cleared her throat and addressed the rebel officer, “Did you need something?” Her tone cut into Matt, making him shrink back slightly. He nodded before he realized she wasn’t looking at him.

“Yes, I needed to speak with you about something I’ve been worried about.” His heart thumped and he added, “And I also owe you an apology.” The Princess sucked in a breath, and turned to face him properly.

“Go on, then.”

“Princess, I’m extremely sorry for my behavior, both towards the team and towards you, specifically.” He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eyes, and hoped that the avoidance wasn’t seen as cowardice. “I was too upset to notice how much you and the others were accomplishing, and I disrupted the entire team dynamic.”

“Yes,” She replied, her voice curt, “You did.” Matt winced at her tone, but tried to not let it show. She wasn’t being harsh, she just wasn’t going to sugarcoat his actions.

“I’m sorry, and I’d like to make amends however I can. I won’t hide away from the team anymore, or make their mission with Lotor more difficult. I was being childish, and I’ve realized that now.”

Allura’s sharp look softened a bit. “I understand that you’ve been under a lot of stress, as we all have been. I appreciate that you’ve come to realize that you were out of turn. Of course you’re welcome to rejoin the team activities.” She exhaled quietly, “We care about you, Matt.”

“Thank you, Princess.” He mumbled, too relieved to voice himself louder.

“And you said there was something you were worried about?” She prompted, walking over to the control chair to sit. She gestured to the one across from her, and Matt sat as well.

“Please consider this seriously.” He prefaced, “But I feel like Lotor is double-crossing us.” The moment the accusation left his lips, Allura’s ears shot up in alarm.

She scrambled to her feet and pointed at Matt, “Don’t  _ move _ .” The surprised young man watched in confusion as she rushed to the door to lock it down, and then to the console. She typed a combination into the keypad, far too quickly for him to see, and the entire system dimmed around them. The eerie feeling of the new atmosphere felt suffocating without an explanation. Matt tried to quell his fear as Allura returned to her seat. Had he ruined his chances of being taken seriously?

“I cannot risk this conversation being overheard by the Prince.” She offered, her tone hushed. “Please, explain what you mean.” Her eyes locked with his, urging him to speak.

Matt swallowed his nerves and nodded. “The fact that Katie was captured while the other Paladins were specifically distracting the soldiers is really suspicious. She  _ had _ to have been targeted, and it  _ had _ to have been by someone high enough to have access to  _ multiple _ previous attacks, to be predict her movements.” He took in a breath, “Yeah we have her extract data a lot, but I ran the numbers and it’s only about 55 to 58 percent of the missions.  _ Barely _ over half, meaning that to an untrained eye they might not even  _ notice _ the correlation. Not to mention the  large percentage of which that might have gone completely undetected by the lower-ranked Galra.”

Matt hesitated, to allow for the Princess to process. “And is this all of your cause for suspicion?” She asked. He should have known that Allura, ever the informed diplomat, would wait until she had all of the information before divulging her opinion.

Shaking his head, he continued, “Lotor  _ knew _ that Voltron had five Lions, five  _ Paladins _ . But he waited for nearly a whole day before asking about Katie. For someone who was supposedly interested in meeting team Voltron, it seems odd that he would wait so long to ask,  _ unless he was trying to avoid suspicion by asking too soon _ .” Overwhelmed momentarily, Matt simply gestured with his hands to the space in front of him, as if there were physical evidence of his words.

“And now  _ this _ .” He threw a hand in the air, obviously frustrated, “The Blade said that their spy was a high-ranking,  _ well-trusted _ personnel on that ship. How could the Galra have realized that they were a spy only  _ hours _ before our planned rescue?” He asked, his tone increasing in urgency, “I’ve seen trials for suspicion of treason and unless there is an  _ extremely _ reliable source or someone from a  _ very _ high ranking doing the accusation, the Galra are pretty damned thorough in their investigations to avoid petty disagreements leading to false reports.”

“So you’re saying you believe Lotor tipped the ship off about the spy?” Allura interjected, to clarify.

“Exactly!” He said, letting himself get caught up in the energy of putting everything together. “Princess, we  _ have  _ to keep a close eye on him. I think he’s getting into our systems more than we realize.”

Allura sighed, suddenly seeming much more tired than before. “Why do you think I’ve blocked off this room?” The darkened room loomed around Matt as evidence of her own suspicions of Lotor. “We cannot afford to accuse him of anything, or break what feeble alliance we’ve forged thus far.” Matt’s hands clenched into fists, but she gave him the benefit of ignoring the reaction. “I assure you that keeping him properly monitored is our  _ second _ top priority. Right behind retrieving Pidge."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated! Please, tell me what you thought!!


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